Xenia tried folding her arms, but doing so would mean touching him. So she looked everywhere else but him. "So what if I did?"

Mason chuckled before reaching up to stroke her burning cheek. She moved to push him away, but the touch made the burn almost nonexistent, and she felt herself leaning into it.

God damn you, body. Don't do this. She squeezed her eyes together momentarily, thinking of Cristobal and how the monster before her killed him. 

"Get away from me." She tried pushing him, but instead, his hands covered hers. 

"Why, Xenia?"

"Because I hate you," she said with as much bitterness as possible.

Mason smiled coyly,...